Showing the 2008 Expedition XLS. NHTSA's VIN data shows it with a 5.4 L engine, but that may not be every version of it, so the numbers below cover every version of this model year. Every version
Owner complaints, recalls, fuel economy and safety ratings from public NHTSA and EPA data, updated Oct 17, 2026.
Fuel economy
14 mpgcombined; city 12, highway 18; every version of this model year
Five years of fuel
$23,200U.S. average; Ohio $20,730 at local prices; every version of this model year; fuel only, not other costs of owning it; 15,000 miles a year, at EIA fuel prices for the week of Oct 12, 2026
NHTSA's VIN data lists these trims for the 2008 Expedition. A trim's engine and numbers are shown as its own only where EPA names versions after the trim and no other version could be it; "seen with" means a source shows that engine on the trim, not that it was the only one. Recalls and complaints cover the whole model year: whether a recall applies to a car depends on its VIN, on NHTSA's recall lookup.
Owners have filed 146 complaints with NHTSA about the 2008 Expedition. These are unverified owner reports, counted by the part of the car they name; one complaint can name several parts. Counts aren't adjusted for how many were sold, so they don't show how reliable a car is.
Complaints by part of the car
Part
Complaints
Crashes
Fires
Injuries
Structure
34
2
0
4
Service brakes
19
3
1
0
Power train
14
5
0
1
Service brakes, hydraulic
13
3
0
4
Vehicle speed control
13
6
1
6
Electrical system
9
0
0
0
Unknown or other
9
5
0
2
Electronic stability control (ESC)
7
0
0
0
Fuel/propulsion system
7
0
0
0
Visibility
7
1
0
0
Suspension
6
0
0
0
Engine
5
0
0
0
16 more parts
Air bags
4
3
0
1
Latches/locks/linkages
4
0
0
1
Tires
4
1
0
3
Engine and engine cooling
3
1
0
0
Equipment
3
0
0
0
Fuel system, gasoline
2
0
0
0
Seat belts
2
1
0
1
Seats
2
0
0
0
Steering
2
0
0
0
Traction control system
2
0
0
0
Visibility/wiper
2
0
0
0
Equipment adaptive/mobility
1
0
0
0
Fuel system, other
1
0
0
0
Parking brake
1
0
0
0
Service brakes, air
1
0
1
0
Wheels
1
0
0
0
Complaints by model year
Newer years have had less time to collect complaints, and counts aren't adjusted for sales, so a shorter bar doesn't mean a more reliable year.
NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns for the 2008 Expedition over its history. Campaigns are matched by model and year, so each one may apply to a given car, and its repair may already be done: check a VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup for the open recalls on that exact car.
FORD IS RECALLING 158 MY 2008 EXPEDITION AND LINCOLN NAVIGATOR VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING SYSTEM (TPMS) AND THE LIMO BUILDERS PACKAGE FOR FAILING TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 138, Z"TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING SYSTEMS." THE TIRE PRESSURE WAS INCREASED FROM 35 PSI TO 40 PSI WITHOUT A COMMENSURATE UPDATE TO THE TPMS CALIBRATIONS.
Risk: THE TPMS INDICATOR LIGHT WILL NOT ILLUMINATE WHEN A TIRE PRESSURE IS IS 25% BELOW THE 40 PSI VALUE STATED ON THE TIRE PLACARD LABEL OCCURS.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL RECONFIGURE THE TPMS THRESHOLDS TO THE APPROPRIATE PRESSURES. THE RECALL BEGAN ON APRIL 23, 2008. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FORD AT 1-800-392-3673.
FORD IS RECALLING 123,632 MY 2007-2008 EXPEDITION AND LINCOLN NAVIGATOR VEHICLES. THE DOOR HANDLE HOUSING EMBOSSMENT RETAINING THE BOTTOM OF THE INTERIOR DOOR HANDLE SPRING ON ALL SIDE DOORS MAY FRACTURE DURING NORMAL CUSTOMER USAGE. THIS CAN RESULT IN INSUFFICIENT SPRING FORCE TO RETURN THE HANDLE TO THE FULLY CLOSED POSITION. THE HANDLE MAY BE LOOSE CAUSING A RATTLE OR NOISE AND THE HANDLE MAY NOT RETURN TO THE FULLY CLOSED POSITION. THIS CONDITION MAY ALSO PROVIDE A DELAYED RESISTANCE WHEN ACTUATING THE HANDLE PRIOR TO OPENING THE DOOR.
Risk: IN THE EVENT OF A SIDE IMPACT CRASH, THE INTERIOR DOOR HANDLE MAY CAUSE THE DOOR LATCH TO OPEN INCREASING THE RISK OF INJURY TO A VEHICLE OCCUPANT.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE INTERIOR HANDLE SPRING ON ALL SIDE DOORS. THE RECALL BEGAN ON MARCH 5, 2008. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FORD AT 1-800-392-3673.
CERTAIN VEHICLES FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS SPECIFIED IN FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 208, 'OCCUPANT CRASH PROTECTION.' THE DRIVER AIR BAG MODULE MAY NOT HAVE BEEN PROPERLY ASSEMBLED.
Risk: THIS CONDITION MAY PREVENT THE DRIVER AIR BAG FROM PROPERLY DEPLOYING AND REDUCE OCCUPANT PROTECTION IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE YOUR DRIVER AIR BAG MODULE FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON NOVEMBER 20, 2007. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FORD AT 1-800-392-3673.
Carmakers sent NHTSA 31 service bulletins and notices that cover the 2008 Expedition, the latest on Feb 24, 2026. They tell dealers how to fix known issues.
The parts they mention most: equipment (10), power train (7), structure (5), electrical system (4), engine (3).
NHTSA defect investigations
Opening an investigation isn't a finding of a defect. Outcomes are as NHTSA's summary states them. A recall is shown as an investigation's outcome only where NHTSA's summary names it; other recalls NHTSA's file lists with it are marked as listed, not caused.
Investigation
Part
Opened
Status
Preliminary evaluation PE08060 TIRE VALVE CRACKING · covers 3 makes
The owner's manual gives the oil and how often to change it. We show oil facts only once we've checked them against the manual, and we haven't yet for the 2008 Expedition.
These are searches on those sites; we don't copy or check their listings. Your ZIP is used for these links and never kept.
Specs
EPA class: sport utility vehicle. Each version EPA tested:
Swipe the table sideways for more columns.
Version
Engine
Transmission
Fuel
City / hwy / comb
Expedition Rear-Wheel Drive
5.4 L, 8 cyl
Automatic 6-spd
Regular Gasoline
12 / 18 / 14
Sources and dates
U.S. EPA fuel economy data, file of Sep 29, 2026
NHTSA owner complaints, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA recalls, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA manufacturer communications, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA defect investigations, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, file of Aug 7, 2026
U.S. Energy Information Administration, file of Oct 12, 2026
Fuel cost: EPA mpg with fuel prices for the week of Oct 12, 2026 and electricity prices for Jul 2026. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (Oct 2026). Complaints are unverified reports owners filed with NHTSA. About the data